Large Quantity Vegetable Recipes

Believe it or not, everyone expects vegetables on a buffet table. These quantity recipes for vegetables are some of our most favored veggie choices

Use the vegetable and seasonings proportions as a guideline to prepare other vegetables that are similar in type and cooking time.

For instance, broccoli and cauliflower can be cooked in a similar fashion, so can peas and corn or green beans and asparagus. Just watch out for overcooking!

See Cooking for a Crowd Chart for guidance on purchasing and serving

Fresh Green Beans for Fifty
Serving size about 1/2 cup

11-13 pounds fresh green beans or 10 pounds frozen beans
1 stick butter, softened
1 ½ tablespoons salt

Wash and trim beans. Cut into 1-inch pieces or leave whole. For large quantity cooking, steam or boil green beans in a large streamer or stockpot. Do not overload the pot. Use two pots or cook in batches, 10-20 minutes or until desired doneness. Pour softened butter over cooked beans and sprinkle with salt.

Variations:
Green Beans Amandine: To hot beans, add 8 ounces slivered almonds lightly toasted in 1 stick of butter

Southern Green Beans: Cut 1-pound bacon or smoked ham into small pieces. In a large skillet,add the bacon or ham and 1 small diced onion (you may need to cook in batches). Sauté until onion is lightly browned. Drain most of the fat but leave some for flavor. Add to the hot green beans and mix well.

Herbed Green Beans: Sauté 1 pound onions, diced, 1 cup chopped celery and 1 tablespoon minced garlic in 1½ sticks of butter. Add to hot green beans. Just before serving, sprinkle with 2 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves and 3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

Green Beans and Mushrooms: Sauté 2 pounds of sliced mushrooms in 1 stick of butter. Add to hot green beans

Cauliflower for Fifty
Serving size about 1/2 cup

16 pounds fresh cauliflower or 10 pounds frozen
1 stick butter, melted
1 ½ tablespoons salt

Wash and trim cauliflower of outer leaves and stems. Break into florets. For large quantity cooking, steam cauliflower in a large streamer or stockpot. Do not overload the pot.

Use two pots or cook in batches, 10-15 minutes or until desired doneness. Pour melted butter over hot cooked cauliflower and sprinkle with salt.

Variations:
Cauliflower with Peas: Combine freshly cooked cauliflower with 6 pounds cooked frozen peas or add peas to the steamer with cauliflower. Season with additional melted butter

Cauliflower with White Sauce: Over a low heat, melt 2 sticks of butter in a 5 quart or larger saucepan. Add 1 cup of all purpose flour and 1 1/2 tablespoons salt. Stir well until smooth. Stir and cook 5-10 minutes, watching carefully. Add 3 quarts of whole milk gradually, stirring constantly with a whisk. Continue cooking and stirring until smooth and thick, about 15 minutes. Add freshly ground black or white pepper to taste.

HELPFUL HINT
If you have never made white sauce it may be safer to make this recipe in 2 batches by cutting the ingredients in half.

White sauce can be prepared one day in advance and refrigerated in a tightly sealed container. Reheat in the microwave at a low power level. Stir often.

Cauliflower with Cheese: Prepare the white sauce as above. In the last 3 minutes of cooking add 3 pounds shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce and a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Transfer cooked cauliflower to large buttered baking dishes. Pour cheese sauce over vegetables and stir gently to blend.

OPTIONAL: Bake at 350ºF for 15-20 minutes, or until bubbling and browned in spots.

Seasoned Peas
Makes 50 1/2 cup servings

10 pounds frozen peas
1 stick butter, melted
1½ tablespoons salt
1/4 tablespoon sugar or to taste

Boil peas in a small amount of water, about 10-12 minutes. Pour melted butter over cooked peas and mix in salt and sugar.

Variations:
Creamed Peas with Potatoes: Reduce amount of peas to 5 pounds. Combine 7 pounds boiled new potatoes (peeled or unpeeled) to cooked peas.
Add 2½ quarts white sauce.

OPTIONAL:Place in baking dishes and bake at 350ºF for 10-15 minutes, or until bubbling and browned in spots.

Peas with Pearl Onions: Add 3 pounds boiled pearl onions to 7 pounds cooked peas. Pour melted butter over peas and onions. Season with salt

Easy Glazed Carrots and Snow Peas for Fifty
This dish is prepared in two batches. Substitute 1-10oz. bag of frozen peas for the snow peas if desired

4 pounds baby carrots.
2 pounds snow peas
1 ½ sticks butter
4 tablespoons sugar
1-2 teaspoons either, allspice, powdered ginger, dried tarragon or thyme(optional)
Salt and ground pepper to taste

Trim snow peas and remove strings.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the carrots until just tender, about
8 minutes. Add the snow peas, turn off heat, let stand for one minute, then drain vegetables in a colander.

Recipe can be prepared to this point and stand at room temperature for up to 4 hours.

In a large wok or skillet, melt half of the butter over medium-high heat. Add half the carrots and snow peas. Sprinkle with half of the sugar and half of the spice/herb of choice. Stir and toss the veggies and seasonings until hot, 2-4 minutes. Add salt and ground pepper to taste. Repeat with remaining ingredients

Fresh Spinach or Other Tender Greens
Makes 50 1/2 cup servings

12 pounds fresh spinach, kale, chard or beet greens
1 stick butter, melted
Salt and black pepper to taste
Red pepper flakes to taste

Sort greens and remove veins, coarse stems and roots. Wash greens well. Cook greens in no or very little water (water clinging to their leaves may be sufficient), 25-40 minutes or until desired tenderness is reached.

Spinach will take the least amount of cooking time.

Pour melted butter over cooked greens and add salt and black and/or red pepper as needed

Variations:
Creamed Spinach: Cook spinach. Drain well and chop larger leaves coarsely. Place spinach in shallow baking dishes. Thoroughly mix in 1-2 quarts white sauce, depending on desired "creaminess" . Evenly distribute sauce among baking dishes.

Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle lightly with nutmeg.

OPTIONAL:Bake at 350ºF for 15-20 minutes, or until bubbling and browned in spots.

Fresh Cranberry Sauce For Fifty
1/3 cup servings. Makes about 5 quarts

16 cups raw cranberries
4 pounds sugar, about 9 cups. Adjust the sugar to taste or to tartness of berries
1 quart water or half orange juice and half water

Combine sugar and water and juice in a large saucepan. Bring to a a boil. Add cranberries and boil gently until skins burst, about 15-20 minutes, or to desired consistency. Chill.

Variation:
Add 2-3 cinnamon sticks and slight 1/4 cup orange peel strips. Discard before chilling cranberry sauce.

Easy Butternut Squash Soup with Yogurt
Serves 12

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 carrot, diced
2 celery stalk, diced
2 medium onions, diced
8 cups cubed butternut squash, fresh or frozen. Look for fresh pre-cut squash in your grocers fresh case
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 cup plain yogurt, seasoned with salt and pepper

Heat oil in a large stock pot. Add carrot, celery and onion. Cook until vegetables have begun to soften and onion turns translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in butternut squash, thyme, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, about 30 minutes.   

Let the soup cool slightly.  Taste for seasonings.  In a blender, puree until smooth.  Ladle into bowls and swirl in yogurt.  Serve immediately

More Recipes for Large Groups